"IRS?"
Vid was first taken aback, then realized.
The power of the United States IRS, he had naturally heard of. It's said that their strong investigative authority rivals the FBI, and even money obtained through robbery, theft, weapon trading, and selling certain powders has to obediently be taxed.
Otherwise, the IRS's heavy bat can bring anyone down.
He just didn't expect that Elise, a pure-blood wizard, would use the most practical tax rules of the Muggle World to deal with the Scourers, rather than using magic spells or the Magic Congress.
His reaction fell into Elise's eyes, causing her some surprise.
The girl raised her brow slightly and inquisitively asked, "You seem... to have an understanding of the United States IRS?"
"My father isn't a wizard; he runs a small ordinary company," Vid said openly. "For him, taxes are as necessary to monitor daily as the weather."
A glimmer of understanding flashed in Elise's eyes, but unlike Malfoy and others, she did not show disdain for Vid's "non-magic background."
On the contrary, she leaned forward slightly, as if finding a resonance, and lowered her voice:
"It's the same for my family... My father also monitors Muggle news every day, and his understanding of America's various tax systems definitely surpasses most Muggles."
"In fact, for centuries, the Vanderbilt family has never truly severed ties with Muggle Society."
Elise smiled, sharing a tacit secret known in the pure-blood circles:
"Magic grants us privileges, but the Muggle World has a population and economic activity hundreds of times greater than ours, only fools would abandon its wealth."
"But if you want to run a stable operation in the Muggle World, relying on magic alone won't work. Mind manipulation, memory modification, these can only last for a short time before flaws appear."
"Only by truly understanding their rules can one navigate like a giant whale in this sea that doesn't belong to us."
Vid also smiled: "But the Scourers' predecessors were lawless mercenaries. This inherent quality makes them inherently disdainful of rules, preferring shortcuts."
"As long as they want to operate in this country, they'll definitely need money, need industries, need to acquire resources, bribe officials, or even wizards, all involving large amounts of money movement."
"Given that their organization has wizards, they're surely accustomed to using magic to solve problems, not likely recording every bit of income to pay taxes properly. Their ledger numbers can't stand scrutiny."
Hearing this, Elise chuckled lightly, turning her head slightly with a teasing tone, spread her hands:
"Dear Vid, you have to know, even if they wanted to be law-abiding citizens, trying to figure out federal tax, state tax, city tax, sales tax, property tax, etc., is almost impossible!"
Vid chuckled lowly and added, "So if it were me, I might also consider a simpler method... use a small spell to settle key position officials, so as not to pour at least half of the wealth into the treasury."
"But once the IRS has its eye on them, no magic can solve it..." Elise said, "Because it's not a person's decision but math—numbers are the hardest things to lie about."
"Then they're done for," Vid said. "Bank accounts will be frozen by the IRS, property and vehicles foreclosed, no matter how deeply assets are hidden, they'll be unearthed one by one..."
"Exactly," Elise laughed. "As long as you can identify those people's identities or their industries, I assure you that everything I just said will become reality!"
Vid asked, "Does the Vanderbilt Family have ties with the IRS?"
"What do you think?" Elise winked. "Our family is a major taxpayer! Well then..."
She raised her coffee cup, "Pleasure to collaborate?"
"Pleasure to collaborate!"
Vid raised his cup as well and lightly clinked it with hers.
"The Scourers always think the Muggle is their base, so let's let them taste the flavor of being chased by Muggle laws and violent agencies!"
...
"Bang!"
Cassius Thorne slammed a fist on the wooden table, causing empty wine bottles to buzz.
"Who is it? Who on earth did this?"
He growled with anger, "It's not helping us; it's digging our grave! Now the entire Magic Congress is going to search us with two hundred percent effort!"
Rolando Stern looked at the leader, his voice hoarse with anger, then glanced at the man sitting in the shadows on the other side.
It was the man with the raven mask who brought the news of the Magic Congress dinner, telling them what was in the video.
"This matter is very suspicious." Rolando Stern lightly tapped the chair armrest, saying in a low voice, "This is definitely not the work of the Magic Congress, they don't have this kind of boldness or creativity."
"Nonsense! Does that even need saying?"
Cassius Thorne walked around the room in anger, "I can close my eyes and imagine the bureaucratic style of the Magic Congress! But the focus now is on how we're going to respond, in case..."
Before he finished speaking, noise came from outside the door.
Cassius Thorne was about to get angry when a young Scourers member rushed in, undeterred by the obstruction, his face flushed with excitement.
"Leader! Mr. Stern!"
The young man said with fervent eyes, "All the brothers out there have heard! With this kind of once-and-for-all method, why don't we make it reality? Why just act for the Magic Congress?"
"Yes, leader!" The other young people crowded at the door, clamoring loudly, "It's time! We should stand up like in that video and tell the whole world the truth!"
"Leader! Leader! I'm a wizard too, I know a bit about magic!" A teenager at the back of the crowd jumped, waving his arms excitedly, "I'm willing to play the role showcasing magic!"
"Come on, your transfiguration technique isn't even proficient, better let me do it!" Other teenagers shouted loudly.
Cassius Thorne and Rolando Stern exchanged a glance.
Thorne's eyes were full of annoyance—this group of stirred-up fools didn't understand the cost of hurried exposure!
While Stern was deeply worried, seeing those young men so excited that their voices trembled, he asked, in a low voice:
"That video hasn't even circulated, how did you know?"
"Ah? Many people already know!" The young man scratched his head in confusion and confirmed with a nearby partner, "Right?"
"Yes, yes... but, who said it first?"